Wireless messaging system

ABSTRACT

A messaging system for selectively performing an action on information, for remote retrieval of messages, for performing action on information at different times, for selective paging, for providing a user interface for message access and having integrated audio visual messaging.

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 09/408,841, filed Sep. 30, 1999 (status: Pending), which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/155/055, filed Sep.21, 1999 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/126,939, filed Mar. 29,1999; this application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 08/934,143, filed Sep. 19, 1997 (status: Pending),U.S. application Ser. No. 08/933,344, filed Sep. 19, 1997 (status:Pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 08/934,132, filed Sep. 19, 1997(status: Pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 08/934,337, filed Sep. 19,1997 (status: Pending), and U.S. application Ser. No. 08/989,874, filedDec. 12, 1997 (status: Pending). All of the above mentioned applications(provisional and non-provisional) are incorporated in their entiretyherein by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to wireless messaging devices suchas two-way pagers, wireless telephones and personal digital assistants(PDA's) and, electronic media systems such as, electronic mail systems,electronic commerce systems and storage and retrieval systems. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to two-way wireless emaildevices and associated systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] An object of the invention is to provide a messaging system forselectively performing an action on information, for remote retrieval ofmessages, for performing action on information at different times, forselective paging, for providing a user interface for message access andhaving integrated audio visual messaging.

[0004] Another object of the invention is to provide a method and systemfor wireless retrieval of an email attachment such as an audio or videofile.

[0005] Another object of the invention is to provide a system forallowing a wireless device to retrieve a portion of or an entire emailfrom one or a plurality of email systems.

[0006] It is yet another object of the invention to provide directaccess to one specific or a plurality of specific email messages withouthaving to retrieve or access other email messages.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide a messaging systemthat delivers messages or message notifications to a specific device,based on a variable such as: the “presence” of the user (i.e., whetherthe user has turned on his/her device), the location of the device, thedevice being accessed, the importance level of the message, the type ofmessage, the time or date, the weather, a user action, or a userrequest.

[0008] It is still another object of the invention to provide automaticidentification of a wireless mobile phone user or wireless email deviceand a mobile phone user's reply email message destination by utilizing aphone number or code.

[0009] It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improvedmethod for memory management in a messaging device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The accompanying drawings and above identified pending patentapplications, which are incorporated herein, form a part of thisspecification together with this description and serve to explain theprinciples of the invention and to enable a person skilled in thepertinent art to make and use the invention.

[0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless messaging system.

[0012]FIGS. 2A and 2B is a flowchart illustrating a process of replyingto a message.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] For the purpose of illustration only, a wireless mobile telephonewill be used as an exemplary wireless messaging device. However, itshould be understood that other messaging devices, such as pagers,wireless PDA's and the like, are also contemplated.

[0014] A wireless mobile telephone, hereinafter mobile phone, isconfigured to receive text messages and message alerts. The mobile phonemay be configured to receive Short Messaging Service (SMS) emailmessages or the mobile phone may have a Web Browser for accessing anInternet based email service. An email server receives an email messageintended for a specific mobile telephone. An email message includes amessage body and a message header. The message header usually includesvarious fields, such as a To field, a From field, and a Subject field.The message header also may include a Message Type field and otherinformation common in email messages.

[0015] The email server assigns a message identifier (ID) to the messageand, in one embodiment, forwards the entire message and the message IDto a mobile system for transmission to the targeted mobile phone.Alternatively, the email server may send to the mobile system just analert, the From field, and/or the Subject field, but not the entiremessage. Depending on what was transmitted to the mobile system, themobile phone user may read the entire message, read whom the message wasfrom, read the message subject or read the message ID.

[0016] Whether the entire message or just part of the message header wastransmitted to the mobile phone, the mobile phone user may choose toreply to the message. To reply to the message, the user may simply pressa button to automatically transmit to the mobile system information thatidentifies the mobile phone user and the message to which the user isreplying. The mobile phone user may be identified by the mobile phone'smobile identification number (MIN) or by data associated with thereceived message, such as the message ID described above. Similarly, themessage to which the user is replying may be identified by the messageID. In one embodiment, the message ID is a reply code (i.e., a shortstring of letters and/or numbers, such as 1234). Alternatively, themessage ID is a telephone number (or pseudo telephone number) that isassociated with a message processing system. For example, the emailserver may assign a callback telephone number to a specific message.Upon receiving the message and callback number, the mobile phone usermay simply activate the reply mode causing the callback number to betransmitted for identifying the mobile phone user and or the specificmessage being replied to.

[0017]FIG. 1 illustrates the messaging system 100 described above andFIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the steps performed by the components ofsystem 100 when a mobile phone 10 user replies to an email message witha voice message. First, the email server 16 receives the email messagefrom the Internet 20 or from another source (step 202). The email server16 stores the message and assigns a message identifier (ID) to the emailmessage (step 204). The message ID may take any number of forms aspreviously described but for the purpose of example, the email serverassigns to the message a telephone callback number (e.g., 202-555-1212)or pseudo telephone number (e.g., #71 or #112).

[0018] Next, the email server 16 determines whether it should send tothe mobile phone 10 the entire email message or just part of the message(for example, one or more fields of the message header) (step 206). Thisdetermination can be based on a user profile that is stored at the emailserver 16, or maybe specified by the user for one or a particular groupof email messages. Thus, some users may create a profile that specifiesthat they want to receive the entire message, whereas other users canspecify that they don't want to receive the entire message and canspecify which portions of the message they do want to receive. If theentire message should be sent, then the entire message plus the callbacknumber generated in step 204 is forwarded to the mobile system 14 (step208). If the entire message should not be sent, then the email server 16forwards, at the least, the callback number generated in step 204 to themobile system 14 (step 210). The mobile system 14 comprises a messagecenter, a call switching center, and transceiver circuitry necessary fortransmitting information to the antenna 12 and the mobile phone 10. Themobile system 14 then transmits to the mobile phone 10 the informationforwarded by the email server 16 (step 212).

[0019] Upon receiving at the mobile phone 10 the information forwardedby the email server 16, which at the least includes a callback number,the user may choose to send a reply message to the originator of theemail message (step 214). The user can accomplish this by activating areply command. Upon activating the reply command, the mobile phoneautomatically places a call to the callback number. Alternatively,instead of activating the reply command, the user may manually call thecallback number by entering the callback number using a keypad on themobile phone 10, or by speaking the callback number into the receiver ofthe mobile phone 10.

[0020] In one embodiment, all of the callback numbers generated by theemail server are associated with message processor 18, thus upon placingthe call to the callback number, the mobile system 14 routes the call tothe message processor 18, which then answers the call. The messageprocessor 18 may comprise a voice store and forward system for receivingvoice and forwarding voice messages. Voice store and forward systems arereadily available and are commonly configured to communicate withnetworked systems such as the email server 16. The email server 16communicates with the message processor 18 for establishing a temporarymailbox associated with a specific callback number, which was assignedto a message.

[0021] When the message processor 18 receives a call directed to aspecific callback number, the message processor 18 prompts the mobilephone user to dictate a reply message for the specific recipientidentified by header information contained in the original message (step216). The message processor 18 records the voice reply message, notifiesthe email server 16 of the voice message, and provides the email serverwith the callback telephone number that the user dialed (or that themobile phone 10 automatically dialed in response to the user activatingthe reply command) (step 218).

[0022] The email server 16 uses the callback telephone number toretrieve the email message associated therewith (step 220). The emailserver 16 then transmits to the originator of the email messageassociated with the callback telephone number at least the voice messagerecorded by the message processor 18 (step 222). In one embodiment, onlythe voice message is transmitted, in other embodiments, the voicemessage plus the email message associated with the callback number aretransmitted.

[0023] The message processor IS may be replaced with another type ofprocessor depending on the media type. For example, instead of utilizinga voice message processor, a video message processor may be utilized ina broadband system for sending video messages from a mobile phone.

[0024] Messages sent from the email server may be transported over theInternet 20 or a private network. The mobile system 14, email system 16and message processor 18 may be directly connected or they may beconnected via a network such as the Internet or the public switchedtelephone network.

[0025] As described above, a mobile phone user may reply to messagesthat were not transmitted in their entirety to the mobile phone 10. Inone embodiment, a mobile phone user might receive only a name foridentifying the message originator and/or a subject but not the body ofthe message. Such would be the case in a system that allows the mobilephone user to decide which messages should be transmitted. In the casewhere the user does not receive the entire message, the mobile phoneuser could reply to the originator of the message stating, “I willattend to your message when I return to the office.” Optionally, themobile phone user could read the subject matter and-then send a requestmessage to the email server 16, which causes the email server totransmit the entire message or the remainder of the message. Lastly, amobile phone 10 equipped with a web browser may connect to an Internetbased mail system for reading messages. A reply code, callback number ormessage code may be embedded in the internet mail based message, therebyenabling a mobile phone user to reply to a specific message as describedabove.

[0026] A significant feature of the present invention described above isthe ability to “directly access” a specific message from the mobilephone 10 for replying to or for performing an action thereon. Eachmessage transmitted to or accessed from the mobile phone 10 has amessage ID associated therewith. A mobile phone user (for example) mayreply to a message, delete a message from the email server 16 withoutretrieving the entire message, forward a message and retrieve a message.The user may also mistakenly delete a message stored in the mobile phone10 and then retrieve it again from the email server 16. Unlike prior artemail and voice mail systems, the present invention provides for directaccess of remotely stored messages for retrieval and for performing anaction associated therewith, as is described in the above mentionedrelated U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/934,143, 08/933,344,08/934,132, and 08/934,337.

[0027] The invention of FIG. 1 is shown configured with one email server16 and one message processor 18. However, multiple email servers 16 andor message processors 18 may be configured in the system, for example,via network connection, direct connect, or the Internet. This approach,when used in conjunction with the email industry standard POP3 mail,allows the mobile phone user to access email from a plurality of emailsystems.

[0028] Any email server 16 may send message alerts, header information,message codes, subject matter, or the body of a message to the mobilesystem 14 for transmission to the mobile phone 10. Alternatively, theemail server 16 and or the message processor 18 (shown in FIG. 1) mayact as a master system for commutating with the mobile system 14 andslave email servers 16 and or slave message processors 18 may beconfigured to communicate with the master email server 16 and or amaster voice processor 18 for communicating with the mobile phone 10.

[0029] As previously stated, a mobile phone user may receive any part ofthe message or the entire message. While some mobile phone users maydecide to have the system alert them and automatically deliver theentire message, other mobile phone users (power users) may wish to bealerted and automatically receive only the sender's name and the subjectof the email message. The mobile phone user may then decide to retrievethe message, delete the message, forward the message or reply to themessage. The present invention provides the mobile phone user directaccess to and remote control of email messages regardless of where theemail messages reside.

[0030] The mobile phone 10 can originate email messages by utilizing anaddress book or by direct entry of an address or an abbreviated address.The address book may be stored in the mobile phone 10, on the emailserver 16 or in the message processor 18. The mobile phone user maysimply select a name from the mobile phone's 10 address book, activate asend message command and send a message to the message processor 18 fordelivery to the email server 16 and finally to the addressed destinationas previously described.

[0031] In another embodiment, the mobile phone user may enter theaddress manually or enter an abbreviated address associated with theactual address stored on the email server 16 and or the messageprocessor 1 8. In another embodiment, the mobile phone user may utilizea mobile phone 10 that has Internet access capability such as theso-called “smart phones”. Upon accessing the Internet, the mobile phoneuser may access an Internet based email system such as Hot Mail, YahooMail and the like. The Mobile phone user may then choose a message toread, reply to a message or select a name from an address book fororiginating a message. The user then selects a send command for sendinga message (digital, analog, or other) to the Internet based email systemor the email server 16. The selected address book entry may containaddressing information for identifying a particular email server ormessage processor. Upon the mobile phone user's selection of a messagerecipient, the mobile phone 10 connects to the identified email server16, message processor 18, or another system for delivering the emailmessage.

[0032] An email message may also be routed to a particular system basedon the type of email message For example, a voice Massage may bedirected to a voice message processor and a text message may be directedto an email server. The mobile phone 10 may connect to the Internet forsending a message or a phone call may be placed to the message processor18. Alternatively, a mobile phone user may indicate to an email serverthat he/she wishes to send a message, such as a voice message, to aparticular destination. The email server then informs the messageprocessor 18 that the specific mobile phone user wishes to send amessage. The message processor then places a call (or connects) to themobile phone 10 and prompts the mobile phone user to record a message aspreviously described.

[0033] The present invention provides for receiving an email messagethat has an attachment (i.e., an attached file). The mobile phone 10does not need any special modifications to receive a text message andfor example a voice attachment (i.e., the attached file contains a voicemessage). When a mobile phone 10 receives a text message having anattachment associated therewith, the mobile phone user may receive allor a portion of the text message, header information, an alert, and amessage code which identifies the attachment. To hear the voice messageattachment, delete the voice message, reply to the originator of thevoice message, or forward the voice message to other people, the mobilephone user simply places a call to the message processor 18, enters themessage code that identifies the attachment using a keypad (or if themessage processor 18 has voice recognition capability, simply speaks themessage code), and enters a code corresponding to an action or speaks acommand, such as reply, delete, forward, save, etc. The messageprocessor 18 performs the command.

[0034] That is, the message processor 18, upon receiving a call from amobile phone user, may be configured to identify the mobile phone userutilizing the industry standard caller ID. After identifying the mobilephone user, the message processor prompts the mobile phone user to enterthe message code associated with the received message for retrieving thecorresponding voice attachment. The voice message file corresponding tothe message code is then accessed by the message processor 18. Themessage processor 18 then plays the message to the mobile phone userover the telephone connection so that the mobile phone user can hear theattachment.

[0035] In this manner, unlike prior art voice mail systems, the presentinvention provides direct access to a specific message. The mobile phoneuser need not scroll through a large number of messages in order tolocate a specific message.

[0036] Upon accessing a message file, the message processor 18 allowsthe user to erase the message, forward the message, or record a replyfor the voice message originator. In another embodiment, the mobiletelephone may be configured to automatically transmit a message code toa specific message processor as previously described. The maindifference between a message code for retrieving a voice attachment anda reply code is that a message code for retrieving a message directs themessage processor to play the message while a reply code directs themessage processor 18 to record a reply message.

[0037] Voice attachments may be retrieved manually by entering a messagecode or automatically. The mobile phone user may place a call directlyto a specific message processor 18 or the call may be automaticallydirected to a specific message processor that corresponds to a receivedsystem identification code or the call may be directed to a specifictelephone number associated to the mailbox within the message processor18 where a specific message resides.

[0038] The mobile phone user may additionally access a voice message byaccessing a web based email system with a browser-enabled mobile phone10. The web based email server may supply the message code and upon amobile phone user activating a retrieve command, the mobile phone 18places a call to a message processor 18. Alternatively, the web basedemail server may notify the message processor 18 and the messageprocessor 18 then connects with (or calls) the mobile phone 10 and playsthe message to the mobile phone user. The message processor 18 isadapted to play an analog voice file or a digital voice file. The voicemessage may be streamed to the mobile phone 10 for real timereproduction or the voice file may be transferred to the mobile phone 10for storage in a memory device within the mobile phone 10. The messageis not limited to an analog or digital voice message buy may includestreaming video or other multimedia content.

[0039] It has been clearly shown that an email text message and anattachment may be received or retrieved by the mobile phone 10. Emailmessages may be sent to the mobile phone 10 from a number of devicessuch as for example, a computer with Internet access to a web basedemail system or from a computer utilizing an email program. The presentinvention additionally provides for sending email messages from a mobilephone 10 to another mobile phone 10 (i.e. mobile-to-mobile) or to itself(i.e. memo mode). A mobile originated voice message may be recorded andaddressed by a mobile phone user to a targeted mobile phone 10. Thedifference between sending a message to a computer or to a mobile phone10 is simply the address. The present invention makes it possible tocommunicate two-way email, including attachments between a computer anda mobile phone and between mobile phones. Mobile phone users need notscroll through messages to access a specific message. Messages may bedirectly accessed for performing an action thereto. A mobile phone usermay simply select a destination address, activate a send message commandand record a voice email for any targeted destination. A mobile phoneuser may activate a reply command and record a voice email that isautomatically or manually addressed to a message originator. Messagesmay be automatically received, manually retrieved, replied to,forwarded, deleted, originated and reproduced by the mobile phone 10.The need for a mobile phone to have browser capability for accessing theInternet to communicate two-way email is eliminated.

[0040] As previously stated, the present invention may be configured todeliver entire text email messages to a mobile phone 10 or just aportion of the message, such as the name of the originator and/or thesubject. Additionally, a message may be received from the email server16 on demand by the mobile phone 10. A mobile phone user mayautomatically receive a name and subject information but may not wish toautomatically receive the entire message. After the mobile user reviewsthe received names and associated subjects, the mobile phone user maydecide to retrieve the remainder of the message or the entire message.

[0041] A message may be deleted from the mobile phone 10 but it may beagain retrieved from the email server 10, if the message is still storedon the email server 10 as previously described. The ability to retrievea specific message on demand allows for new and improved features forthe mobile phone 10, a paging device or other types of. wireless emailand messaging devices.

[0042] One such feature of the present invention is an improved memorymanagement arrangement and method for automatically deleting messagesstored in a mobile phone or messaging device when the device's memory isfull. For example, prior art paging devices have a limited amount ofmemory for storing messages. There are times when the memory is full ofmessages and new messages cannot be received and stored. Other pagingdevices automatically delete the oldest read message in order to makeroom in memory for a newly received message. These prior art devices andmethods have a disadvantage because once a message is deleted or overwritten, it cannot be recovered. The present invention provides a systemfor deleting messages when memory is full but the deleted or overwritten messages may be again received and stored by the mobiletelephone 10 as will be described hereinafter.

[0043] The mobile phone 10 may be configured so that an internalprocessor executes the following process: Receive and store messages inmemory. When a message is received and memory is full, over write one ormore message bodies, but retain the message header and the message IDassociated with the message, to make room for the new message. Store thenew message. When over writing message bodies, over write the oldestread message body first, when there are no read message bodies left,over write the oldest unread message body. When there are no moremessage bodies, over write the oldest read subject first. When there areno more read subjects, over write the oldest unread subject. The mobilephone 10 may be configured to delete the name and header informationusing the same priority as described above.

[0044] The above-described process causes the mobile phone 10 to overwrite only message bodies when there is not enough memory to store anadditional message. The mobile phone user may continue to save and viewinformation that identifies the message originator (the name) andinformation describing the message (the subject). If the mobile phoneuser desires to read an entire message body that was deleted or overwritten, a retrieve command may be activated by the mobile phone userfor causing the mobile phone 10 to transmit the selected message ID tothe email server 16. Upon receiving the retrieval request and messageID, the email server 16 sends the email message corresponding to themessage ID to the requesting mobile phone 10. An over written or deletedmessage can now be recovered.

[0045] The present invention provides for sending and receiving messagesbased on one or more variables. The email server 16 and the messageprocessor 18 may be configured with Instant Messenger software such asis provided by Microsoft, America On Line, AT&T and others. Theseprograms provide notification when a computer-messaging device is online or the operator is logged in. When the message processor 18 oremail server 16 receives a message for the mobile phone 10, the messagemay be held until the mobile phone is on line. In other words, when theuser is logged in or when the presence of the user is detected, themessage is delivered. Conversely, when a message is sent to a mobilephone 10, the message may be held by the email server 16 or the messageprocessor 18 until the presence of the mobile phone 10 or the mobilephone user is detected. Detection of the mobile phone 10 may for examplebe accomplished by interfacing a home location register (HLR) to theemail server 16 and the message processor 18. HLR equipment is readilyavailable and used extensively by mobile phone companies to providedetection of a mobile phone in a particular service area in order toroute calls. Detection of a mobile phone user may also be accomplishedby detecting user-activated commands that are transmitted to the emailserver 16 or the message processor 18. Detection of an operator, mobilephone user or active messaging device enables the present invention toperform actions responsive to the status of messaging devices or thepresence of their respective user. The email server 16 may automaticallyroute messages to a mobile phone 10 when the mobile phone user isutilizing the mobile phone 10. Then, when the mobile phone user turnsthe mobile phone 10 off and logs in to an office computer, the emailserver routes messages to the office computer. The present invention mayperform any number of actions or combination of actions based on amobile phone user activated command or by automatically detecting thestatus of the mobile phone 10 and or the presence of the mobile phoneuser. Messages may even be redirected automatically to a mobile phoneuser's computer email service if the message cannot be delivered to themobile phone 10 because the mobile phone 10 was out of range or turnedoff.

[0046] The email server 16 and the message processor 18 mayautomatically perform an action or sequence of actions based on the timeof day, the date, the status of a mobile phone 10, the presence of auser, user activity, geographic location of the mobile phone 10 or anynumber of conditions which may be transmitted to the email server 16 orthe message processor 18. Sensors may be added to the mobile phone 10and data from the sensors may be automatically transmitted or manuallysent by the mobile phone user. A temperature sensor, for example, may beincluded in the mobile phone 10 wherein temperature readings areautomatically transmitted to the email server 16. Based on temperature,the location of the mobile phone 10 and the presence of the mobile phoneuser, the email server 16 or the message processor may for example sendan email message to the mobile phone user that includes an advertisementstating, “The temperature is 98 degrees. Please drink Coke. 35 centspecial one block away at the super store.” Alternatively, the mobilephone user may configure the present invention so that messages fromparticular people are delivered to the mobile phone 10 on week daysbetween 9:00am and 5:00p but otherwise routed to the mobile phone user'shome computer and have copies of all message activity go to an officeemail system. Messages may also be filtered based on the location of themobile phone 10 so that very important messages are routed to the mobilephone 10 when the mobile phone user is out of town with the mobile phone10. A mobile phone user may also configure the system to send anotification message to the mobile phone 10 when another mobile phone 10user or a computer device user is detected by the email server 16 or themessage processor 18.

[0047] The present invention may be utilized in telephone systems,paging systems, email systems, and numerous communications systems.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing direct message access to auser having a wireless messaging device configured to receive textmessages, comprising the steps of: receiving a message intended for theuser; storing the message; assigning a unique message identifier to themessage, said unique message identifier being a callback telephonenumber; and transmitting to the wireless messaging device a messagecomprising the unique message identifier.
 2. A method for notifying auser that the user has a voice message and for providing the user withdirect access to the voice message, wherein the user has a mobile phoneconfigured to receive text messages, comprising the steps of: storingthe voice message; generating a text message; associating a message codewith the voice message; including said message code in said textmessage; transmitting said text message to the mobile phone; receivingat a voice message processor a telephone call placed from the mobilephone; receiving the message code from the mobile phone; using themessage code transmitted from the mobile phone to retrieve the storedvoice message; and streaming the voice message to the mobile phone forreal time reproduction of the voice message.
 3. A method for notifying auser that the user has a voice message and for providing the user withdirect access to the voice message, wherein the user has a mobile phoneconfigured to receive text messages, comprising the steps of: storingthe voice message; generating a text message; associating a message codewith the voice message, said message code being a callback telephonenumber; including said message code in said text message; transmittingsaid text message to the mobile phone; receiving at a voice messageprocessor a telephone call placed from the mobile phone, wherein thetelephone number associated with the telephone call is said callbacktelephone number; using the callback telephone number to retrieve thestored voice message; and streaming the voice message to the mobilephone for real time reproduction of the voice message.
 4. A method forenabling a user having a wireless messaging device capable of receivingtext messages and making telephone calls to create a voice message inreply to a message intended for the user and to have the voice messagetransmitted to the originator of the message intended for the user,comprising the steps of: receiving the message intended for the user,wherein the message intended for the user comprises a body and a header;storing the message intended for the user; assigning a messageidentifier to the message intended for the user; transmitting themessage identifier and at least part of the message header to thewireless messaging device; receiving, at a message processor, a phonecall placed by the wireless messaging device; prompting the user of thewireless messaging device to transmit the message identifier to saidmessage processor; prompting the user of the wireless messaging deviceto dictate a voice message; recording said voice message dictated by theuser; using said message identifier transmitted to said messageprocessor to determine an address associated with the originator of themessage intended for the user; and transmitting said recorded voicemessage to said address.
 5. A method for enabling a user having awireless messaging device capable of receiving text messages and makingtelephone calls to create a voice message in reply to a message intendedfor the user and to have the voice message transmitted to the originatorof the message intended for the user, comprising the steps of: receivingthe message intended for the user, wherein the message intended for theuser comprises a body and a header; storing the message intended for theuser; assigning a message identifier to the message intended for theuser, said message identifier being a callback telephone number;transmitting the message identifier and at least part of the messageheader to the wireless messaging device; receiving, at a messageprocessor, a telephone call placed by the wireless messaging device,wherein the telephone number associated with the telephone call is saidcallback telephone number; prompting the user of the wireless messagingdevice to dictate a voice message; recording said voice message dictatedby the user; using said callback telephone number to determine anaddress associated with the originator of the message intended for theuser; and transmitting said recorded voice message to said address.
 6. Amethod for sending message to a messaging device, comprising the stepsof: configuring an email server with instant messenger software, whereinsaid software provides notification when the messaging device is online; receiving at said email server a message for the messaging device;detecting when the messaging device is on line; and delivering saidmessage to the messaging device only after detecting that said messagingdevice is on line.
 7. A method for sending messages to a mobile phone,comprising the steps of: receiving at an email server a message intendedfor the mobile phone; holding said message at said email server untilthe mobile phone is on line; detecting that the mobile phone is on lineby interfacing a home location register (HLR) to said email server; anddelivering said message to the mobile phone only after detecting thatthe mobile phone is on line.
 8. A communication system for integratingaudio and visual messaging comprising: a first messaging device fortransmitting a first message and receiving a second message in reply,wherein said first message includes a visual message and said secondmessage includes an audio message; a second messaging device forreceiving said first message and, in response thereto, transmittingreply messaging data including said audio message and addressinginformation associated with a recipient of said audio message; and anetwork for enabling communication between said first and secondmessaging devices, wherein said network includes an integrated mailgateway for receiving said reply messaging data and, based on said replymessaging data, generating said second message for transmission to saidfirst messaging device.
 9. A device for allowing a user to accessmessages stored in a plurality of locations using a single interface,comprising: a radio transceiver to communicate by means of a radiofrequency link with at least one remote storage device adapted to storea first plurality of messages; memory capacity coupled to saidtransceiver and adapted to store a second plurality of messages; aprocessor coupled to said transceiver and said memory capacity, saidprocessor adapted to control operation of said transceiver and saidmemory capacity; and an interface coupled to said processor, saidinterface adapted to be manipulated by said user and adapted to providesignals to said processor for causing said processor to access messagesin said memory capacity and in said at least one remote storage device,wherein said interface is further adapted to control a process thatplays said messages stored in said memory capacity upon actuation ofsaid interface by said user, and is further adapted to control a processthat automatically plays said messages stored in said at least oneremote device whether or not said transceiver is on-line with said atleast one remote device, and said process that plays said messagesstored in said at least one remote device automatically accesses andplays said messages when said transceiver is on-line with said at leastone remote device, and when not on-line, automatically initiates asession by means of said radio frequency link with said at least oneremote device in order to access and play said messages stored on saidat least one remote device.
 10. A transmitting and receiving device fortransmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system,comprising: a receiver for receiving a selective call signal comprisinga message identifier identifying a message, said receiver adapted toreceive the message identifier without the identified message regardlessof the size of the message; a transmitter for transmitting signals; auser interface for receiving from a user an input specifying an actionto be performed on the message; and a processor for detecting theoccurrence of a certain event and for generating a request signal inresponse to the user interface receiving the input from the user,wherein the request signal comprises an action identifier identifyingthe action, and when the processor detects the occurrence of the certainevent, the processor directs the transmitter to transmit the requestsignal to the communication system.
 11. A transmitting and receivingdevice for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communicationsystem, comprising: a receiver for receiving a selective call signalcomprising a message identifier that identifies a message intended forthe transmitting and receiving device, wherein the message is (a) storedin a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, (b) notincluded in the selective call signal regardless of the size of themessage, and (c) not stored in the transmitting and receiving device atthe time the selective call signal is received; a processor forgenerating a request signal indicating an action and indicating themessage; and a transmitter for transmitting to the system the requestsignal, whereupon receiving the signal, the system performs the actionon the message.
 12. A system, comprising: a storage and retrieval unitfor storing a message intended for a transmitting and receiving device;signal generating means for generating a signal comprising a messageidentifier that identifies the message, wherein the signal generatingmeans does not include the message in the signal regardless of the sizeof the message; means for sending the signal to the transmitting andreceiving device, wherein, at the time the signal is sent to thetransmitting and receiving device, the message is not stored in thetransmitting and receiving device; means for receiving a request signalgenerated by the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the requestsignal specifies an action to be performed on the message stored in thestorage and retrieval unit; and means for performing the action inresponse to the receiving means receiving the request signal.
 13. In atransmitting and receiving device, a method for transmitting andreceiving information, comprising the steps of: receiving a selectivecall signal including identification information identifying messageinformation that is stored in a system; storing the receivedidentification information in a memory; transmitting a retrieve signalto the system, the retrieve signal for directing the system to transmitto the device the message information identified by the identificationinformation; receiving the message information transmitted from thesystem; storing the received message information in the memory;receiving an erase command from a user of the device; and in response toreceiving the command, flagging the message information stored in thememory for erasure, without flagging the identification informationstored in the memory for erasure.